Back in the late 60's and early 70's came the exterior car wash craze with reduced wash prices (usually $1-$3) or a free wash with a fillup by major oil companies.
These washes used a very small foot print for the wash building and equipment, meaning cheaper to build and equip. around $100-$300,000.
This was used to increase gas volume which it did.
Even with all the capital that the oil companies had and the increase in gas volume they realized over time that you can't survive giving away free washes.
The cost to wash a car was just too much. Many if not most of the individual operators went out of business.
The oil companies operations started charging for the wash, with a reduced wash price if you bought gas.
Today they give a .05-.20 cent per gallon gas discount towards the purchase of a wash. Same difference. But not free.
benny2 packaging products is not a novel idea for business
marketing in any industry especially the car wash industry.
Todays craze is the Express Wash.
In our industry though we now spend, above our initial wash eqp., upwards to $100,000 or more to purchase vacs and other equipment (the sizzle) to give a $3-5 car wash some 50+ years later.
Many operators include towels, scent, window cleaner, etc. free to promote volume increase.
I'm one of those operators. Been washing cars in full, self, iba and express washes for a very long time.
Can we as operators learn from the past.
History has a way of repeating itself.
Randy I like your Fabreze comment, funny.